Who?

Introduction

"What’s one thing that makes you truly alive?"

For most people, it’s love, joy, success, or even the simple beauty of a sunrise. Pero para sa kanya, iba. Pain is the only thing what'skeeping her alive. It fascinates her how, in the most twisted way, nagiging buhay siya tuwing nasasaktan siya—hindi lang pisikal na sakit, kundi ang mga sugat na lalong nagpapalalim ng kanyang pagkatao. Every scar, every wound reminds her that she’s still breathing. Sa mundong tila walang kulay, pain is the only thing that reminds her she’s real.

This is her story—of how she fell into the darkness, na ginawang buo at wasak siya at the same time.

It was a small, cold room. Tila ang lamig ay unti-unting sumasalubsob sa kanyang mga buto, habang ang bawat segundo ay nagiging mas mabigat. Ang ilaw sa kisame ay kumukurap-kurap, casting shadows on the walls na parang mga multo ng nakaraan niya. Nakagapos ang mga kamay niya sa isang lumang upuan, halos hindi na siya makagalaw dahil sa pagod at sakit. Ang mga lubid sa pulso niya ay nagsugat na, dumudugo na sa tagal ng pagkakatali.

Hindi niya na matandaan kung gaano na siya katagal doon—ilang oras? Ilang araw? The concept of time no longer made sense. Nawawala na sa kanya ang pakiramdam ng oras dahil sa takot at exhaustion. Ngunit ang pinakamasakit? Yung katahimikan. It creeped into her mind, louder than any scream she’s ever heard. It was suffocating, and in that silence, she felt completely alone.

Then the door burst open. Bumangga ito sa pader na gumawa ng malakas na ingay. Halos mapalundag siya sa gulat, ang tibok ng puso niya biglang bumilis. Pumasok siya, ang taong pinaka-kinakatakutan niya. His face was calm, cold, emotionless, yet there was a cruelty in his eyes that terrified her. The click of his shoes on the concrete floor echoed through the small room, each step heavy, dragging her closer to her own torment.

“You're still alive,” he said in a low voice, a cruel smirk forming on his lips. “Lumalaban ka pa rin.”

Hindi siya makasagot. Her throat was too dry, her lips cracked and bleeding from dehydration. Her body was bruised and battered, bawat paggalaw ay masakit, pero mas matindi ang sakit na nararamdaman niya sa isip—para na siyang mababaliw. Gusto niyang sumigaw, tumakas, pero parang wala na siyang lakas para gawin ito.

Lumapit siya, hinawakan ang kanyang mukha, cold fingers gripping her chin. “Sabihin mo na lang ang gusto kong marinig,” he whispered, pero may halong panunuya ang boses niya.

She looked away, tears filling her eyes. She had been holding on to hope, waiting for someone—anyone—to come and save her. But as time passed, hope had become nothing but a distant memory. Hindi na niya alam kung may darating pa ba para iligtas siya.

Seeing her silence, he released her with a cruel chuckle. “Matigas talaga ang ulo mo.” Lumakad siya papunta sa isang mesa sa gilid ng kuwarto. It was filled with tools meant to break her—physically and mentally. Kinuha niya ang isang manipis na kutsilyo, pinaiikot-ikot ito sa kamay niya as he approached her again.

“Gusto ko lang naman ng cooperation,” he said in a sickeningly sweet tone before slowly dragging the blade across her arm. It wasn’t deep, just enough para dumugo nang konti. It hurt, but more than that, she felt something else—pain.

Yes, pain. It was what grounded her, what kept her aware that she was still alive, kahit gaano pa kasakit. She hated it, but at the same time, it was all she had left.

He grabbed her hair, pulling her head up to face a wall behind her. Her eyes widened at what she saw. Pictures. Hundreds of pictures. Of her family, her friends, her past. Lahat ng mukha ay may malaking pulang X na nakamarka sa mga ito.

“Wala na silang lahat,” he whispered in her ear. “No one’s coming for you. You don’t exist anymore.”

It was like her world shattered. Her breath hitched, tears spilling down her face as she looked at the images. Her family. Her life. Gone.

Everyone she had ever loved, erased from existence, leaving her completely and utterly alone. Parang sinuntok ang dibdib niya, at hindi siya makasigaw—nakatingin lang siya, tulala at nawawala.

His cold laughter filled the room as he watched her break.

Then, he leaned closer and whispered, “Ngayon, naiintindihan mo na ba? You’re mine. There’s nothing left for you out there.”

Her heart sank. Wala na siyang lakas para lumaban, wala na siyang pag-asa. Everything she ever cared about was gone. Her entire life, gone in an instant, and all that was left was this dark, twisted pain.

And as he walked out, leaving her in the cold, she felt that same painful realization—na sa sakit lang siya buhay. At least, this was real.